I love my job! ADHD/ADD bizarre story

[GrrrlPwr]

Has anyone else found themselves in a job that actually plays to their ADD strengths?

I've got a job that I love. After many years struggling in, what turns out to be, exactly the wrong job for me!

Has anyone else got a ADHD/ADD success story?

My brain does drive me mad quite often, but learning how to play to the strengths of it is proving to be a really good thing!

@GrrrlPwr

Has anyone else found themselves in a job that actually plays to their ADD strengths?

I've got a job that I love. After many years struggling in, what turns out to be, exactly the wrong job for me!

Has anyone else got a ADHD/ADD success story?

My brain does drive me mad quite often, but learning how to play to the strengths of it is proving to be a really good thing!

What job do you do now??

@GrrrlPwr

I think omega oil supplements have made a bit of a difference too. Slightly less scatty. But deadlines are essential. Hyper focus is like a really strange super-power.

That's the thing. My wonderful manager is aware I can knock out perfect, genius work extremely quickly then duuuuuurrrrrrrr for two hours. She takes the genius with the non-genius!

My daughter works in a clinical type nhs role nd reckons i have adhd.
Brain takes off in different directions, fidget, do so many things at once/partially/badly
But when I focus … I FOCUS
so that’s interesting said that about yoursekf

And of course acceptance of the occasions when hyper focus is on something completely unnecessary. A few weeks ago I spent an hour doing something completely unnecessary and worth peanuts simply because it puzzled me enough to captivate me.
My bizarre rabbit holes are accepted because the skills I pick up on worthless missions come in handy in other areas, and sometimes even the most obscure seemingly pointless obsession can lead to something incredibly useful. Plus the fact nobody even bothers to ask me to explain myself if I'm in the zone because they know they won't get a logical response!

In most of my previous jobs I've just not fitted in. But I think I was around neurotypical people, and they just do not 'get' me. They treat me like crazy lady. But this job - IT project manager- there must be so many people on the autistic spectrum that they are more accepting. Or I've found a company culture that suits me? Not sure which.

My most epic cutting it to the wire- finishing the training document literally actually 30 seconds before dialling in to the meeting to give the training. That was slightly mad. But hey I didn't waste any time before the meeting!

And I am good at winging it, and giving talks. It feels like there's about 4 things going on in my brain at any one time- what I'm supposed to be doing, questioning what I'm doing, seeing what everyone else is doing, thinking what's coming up next.

However can I remember a shopping list? Nope.

Do things to remember just 'drop out of my head'? Yep.

And I am good at winging it, and giving talks. It feels like there's about 4 things going on in my brain at any one time- what I'm supposed to be doing, questioning what I'm doing, seeing what everyone else is doing, thinking what's coming up next.

Exactly why facilitation is an excellent career. All at once:

Has lunch turned up for people
Is the room too cold/hot
Am I on track with time
Is anyone bored/sad/tired
What I'm actually talking about
What's next
Did I cover everything
Crack a joke

Normies can't handle that! Although TBF they would have made excellent notes for handouts. I used to suggest one person like me and one detailed oriented person who hates public speaking for each training session. They are both glad the other person is taking that piece off their hands!

I work as an instructional designer, although my official job title is learning technology consultant. I am on the go with several projects at once, all in different phases of completion, sometimes I'm the lead and sometimes I'm supporting. I have an eye for detail and am a bit artistic so it all helps in researching content, understanding it well enough to design a learning programme, building it using a development tool, designing the look and feel with graphics design tools, catching tiny details but understanding the bigger picture, etc etc. I get to make videos, build graphics, write copy, meet with loads of differ SMEs, etc.

It's varied and interesting with a lot of tight deadlines and I love it. I've always said I'm a bit of Jill of All Trades, Mistress of None, but that's actually an advantage here. I love learning about different topics/areas and this all allows me to dip in and out of various things, learn new information, finish the project and then move on. Perfect.

I do feel like my adhd is my super power. I am able to cope with a LOT in life, and with aplomb. I am excellent in a crisis.

I wish I'd known about a lot of jobs that I read about on here. Career talks at school were always teaching/law/medicine. I was bright but had trouble focusing in lessons and tended to do my homework on the bus on the way in. Crammed for exams and generally got good results (hyper focus there perhaps?) Steuggled through A levels and then Uni just looked too complicated.
I ended up working in a riding school. I loved it because the horses were soothing to my soul, and I enjoyed helping the clients, but I've always felt shame around being such a low achiever.
I have no idea how someone would ever get into some of the jobs mentioned.
I wasn't being smug about the home making. I'm not very good at that either, but if it's all I need to worry about, I can get it done reasonably (until or unless something stresses me out and then it all goes to pot)
I have taken to batch cooking on the days I feel capable, and then when a day escapes from me there is still something in the fridge or freezer so we can eat.

I am being assessed for adhd at the moment (appointment with psychiatrist isn't til November but filled in all forms) and I can't help but feel like I'm cursed. I am between jobs atm and have zero faith that I will be able to do anything well so hearing that some is you have eventually found something is putting a tiny flicker of hope in there.

I don't have a degree, either. I sort of fell into my career through chance as well as grabbing hold of an opportunity when I saw it coming my way.

I think professional training qualifications are a great thing, like CIPD for example. A lot of employers look at those over and above degrees, even.

@Dontknownow86

I am being assessed for adhd at the moment (appointment with psychiatrist isn't til November but filled in all forms) and I can't help but feel like I'm cursed. I am between jobs atm and have zero faith that I will be able to do anything well so hearing that some is you have eventually found something is putting a tiny flicker of hope in there.

Good luck! This thread is inspiring isn't it?

Watching thread with interest, as son has ADHD - DH and I both comes from families where everyone achieved academically without much effort, and we've accepted DS probably won't be that kid (he's only 10 now though), but although he finds school a bit tricky we don't see any reason he can't succeed in life in general.

@WineAcademy

I don't have a degree, either. I sort of fell into my career through chance as well as grabbing hold of an opportunity when I saw it coming my way.

I think professional training qualifications are a great thing, like CIPD for example. A lot of employers look at those over and above degrees, even.

Yes I agree. I've seen it happen with friends. I'm feeling a bit sad because I'm in my late 50s now and I've just started feeling the regret about my career choices that I was threatened with as a teenager. But when I look back I doubt I'd have done anything differently, and I've been happy bringing up a family with all the chaos that went with that. They've turned out ok, not sure whether because of or despite me, and have forged their own paths successfully (funnily enough, all except one are self employed in creative work, and one is a very creative secondary school teacher) DH has been my rock throughout, and I'd have floundered without him, but we're a good team.

@ThrowawaySecondarySchool

School data manager. Quite varied day to day, lots of little tasks and problem solving. Lots of structure as there's a yearly calendar so I know the big things coming up. Also structure because it's a school and a way things are done. I work school hours only so no time to let my mind wander.

Thank you! This is the sort of promotion I am looking for when the kids are older. I devour the SIMS End of Year Procedures Handbook, and the Yearbook.

Oh, someone said about standing desk- same here! Love mine.

Yeah, supply teacher! New school every day, new faces every 70 mins! Thinking on my feet, go go go! The work is provided for me in the main, if not I make it up as I go, and if it all goes wrong tomorrow is a new day!

Full time teaching was too full of planning, paperwork, long-term engagement, phone calls, marking, staff meetings, deadlines, folios that I was terrified of losing. Way too stressful!! But I've found my place, after trying 5 other careers too...

Wow there are so many parallels with the folk on here happy in jobs.

Regarding the team for presenting & notes pack- that is a great example of both people playing to their strengths.

Being good in a 'crisis' seems to be a theme. That ability to think at light speed about a bunch of stuff is great.
However if I'm in a meeting I deem boring. Then oh my job I am out of my skull bored. They my mind goes on a journey and I have so many ideas. However then I realise I haven't been listening and look like a plonker asking dopey questions.

So working from home for me is epic. I turn my camera off and can take notes as they stream through my head. OneNote has been the most amazing tool.

Anyone wanting to break into these jobs- yes to industry qualifications, no to degree. Employers want experience and a safe pair of hands.

And in project management, even as a junior in the team- you just listen and observe. Learn what type of things help the people/teams you are talking to. Then you become useful and then valued.

So I'd say look at what you love!
If you were to work at toys r us (RIP) which job would you do? It's daft but a handy way of thinking about what work entertains you.

Then search for an entry level job in that area for project management. Ie project admin. While studying for a qualification. Then move on to with experience and qualification under your belt.
And so your career has begun.

And I'd say that life experience is GOOD thing for PM, it's like you've seen all the crap before, and can mitigate.

Anyway, that's my thoughts this morning. Back to wrestling with excel for a project!

I found the group ADHDWise on Instagram. Has anyone had a good experience with them?

I wasn't being smug about the home making.

No one thought that lovely. This is the thread for tooting our own trumpets and if you can homemake, that's a skill you should be proud of because I 100% can't and wish I could.

On the subject of ADHDer children in school... I remember a teacher telling me she was glad they would now be assessing her subject with coursework rather than exams because people like me (I kid you not) would get the grade they deserved. I could do exams because it was stress and cramming so it was easier. I was A for achievement E for effort girl. Even though looking back I actually tried very hard.

Now, DD has a teacher who understands. DD got her diagnosis early and I and the teacher work on honing her powers. More than once she's got her project in first, very early, because we power through in one go when the hyper-focus hits. Her teacher is a fan of playing to her strengths so she lets some stuff go. But celebrates DD's special power. Her stuff is often outside the box but clever. The teacher marks her generously on creativity and glides over specificity kindly. Thank goodness times have changed.

Wow MrsTP your lucky daughter!

I know. I'm going to miss that teacher.

At the moment DS's exceptional ability is that he's so good at interpreting narrative - not sure how that feeds into a job though. Like, literally since he was very young he can see (non-obvious) twists coming in a film and stuff like that!

He's also great at acting I think, but we can't seem to make him do it, which is a shame. I'm trying to find ways to persuade him because I think it's something he'd achieve at. He reads with so much expression, without prompting, and is a great vocal mimic.

This is a good visual on ADHD

I suspect I've got adhd. It's just become apparent in my 40s. I am a university administrator in a creative subject area and I like my job. There is the structure of the academic year and the university but day to day tasks are varied. I might have a plan for the day but often something urgent comes up and I just have to go with the flow. I'm rarely bored because the work is always different but certain tasks are ripe for hyper focus.
If you have been diagnosed, how did you go about it?